CHESTERMERE – There is some big equipment making a huge divot in the Lakeside Greens golf course for the past few weeks. Construction of 5 houses is well underway as well as some significant changes to the golf course itself. The utilities for the houses have been installed to the property line and now the construction of the new dwellings will proceed to the next phase. The builder, Prominent Homes Ltd., are about to start excavation for the basement foundations within 3 to 4 weeks. The 65′ by 120′ lots are all walkout style houses and will start at $689,000. One house has already been sold and 2 others will become show homes.
Meanwhile, there is another major renovation taking place on the golf course. The driving range, according to Owner and Executive Director Lloyd McBean, has been a blemish compared to the rest of the course for quite some time. The drainage has never been proper and therefore the grass has constantly been soaked and has never grown like it should. The half million dollar renovation will begin with an enormous amount of fill added to the midpoint of the driving range so that the drainage from the eastern slope will drain towards the creek on the 17th hole and the west point will drain to a newly constructed pond at the west end of the 18th hole, which used to be the 9th hole until this year when they switched it up. “The new pond will make the shot to the 18th green very challenging” says McBean “as there will be more water to contend with on the approach shot”. The practice putting green will get moved more towards Lakeside Greens Drive but wait – there’s more. The driving range will have between 21 to 24 stalls, 5 greens to aim fore, a fairway bunker out to the range and a short pitch/chipping area. The pond that used to be just outside of the Pro Shop doors has been removed. This allows for a larger staging area for the golfers when they are preparing their golf carts before and after the game. The larger area will also provide a better slope on the handicap ramp into the clubhouse.
Planning of the renovation and sale of the lots has been in the works for 7 years. The local support for the golf course upgrade has been substantial over the years. McBean, a co-owner with his brother Wayne McBean, have been operating the golf course for 21 years; upon completion of the renovation, the golf course will be financially debt free. Ken Elias, the owner of Keystone Excavating and who is also a board member of the Lakeside Greens, is heading up the construction on the site. Completion of this project is expected sometime in the spring of 2013. Another parcel of land on the golf course has been set aside for further development but has not been approved by the Town.
